26/06/2003

Sir Denis Thatcher dies following a short illness

Sir Denis Thatcher, the husband of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, has died in hospital.

Sir Denis (88), who had heart surgery earlier this year, died in the Lister Hospital, London this morning following a short illness.

At Conservative Party headquarters in London the union flag was lowered as a mark of respect for the former party leader’s husband.

Sir Denis, who had been undergoing tests at Royal Brompton Hospital before being transferred to Lister Hospital, was said to have been in good spirits. He had received several visits from Baroness Thatcher, and both their son Mark and daughter Carol had returned from overseas to be with the family.

The Thatcher family said that Sir Denis had passed away “peacefully” after a short illness.

A millionaire, Sir Denis had been a successful businessman, but despite maintaining a low profile during the premiership of his wife Margaret Thatcher - Britain’s first woman prime minister - much of his fame came from that period when he was in the public eye at his wife's side.

(SP)

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